JP2002077501A - Image processor, control method therefor and computer readable storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor for hardly generating read irregularities without prolonging read time without frequently stopping a scanner even when the size of a scanner buffer is small to some degree. SOLUTION: In the case that the residual amount of the scanner buffer lacks the memory of a host computer used for the scanner buffer and thus, the stop of the scanner is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for performing image processing on image data obtained by reading an original and printing the image data, a control method thereof, and a computer-readable storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional multifunctional printing apparatus, image data read by an image reading apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a "scanner unit") in a copy function is stored in a read data storage device ( This is temporarily stored in a “scanner buffer” and sent to an image processing unit at a subsequent stage.

However, if the processing after the image processing unit, that is, the processing of the image processing and print processing unit (hereinafter referred to as “printer unit”) is delayed, the image processing unit receives the image data temporarily stored in the scanner buffer. You will not be able to do it. If this time becomes longer, the remaining amount of the scanner buffer eventually becomes zero, and the scanner buffer cannot receive image data from the scanner unit. Because of this, until the scanner buffer can receive image data,
The scanner needs to wait.

[0004] In this situation, the frequency of occurrence is determined according to the processing speed of the scanner unit, the size of the scanner buffer, and the processing speed of the image processing unit and below. That is, if the processing speed of the scanner unit is slow, the size of the scanner buffer is large, and the speed after the image processing unit is high, the scanner unit does not need to wait, while the processing speed of the scanner unit is fast and the size of the scanner buffer is small. If the processing is small and the processing after the image processing unit is slow, the scanner unit often needs to wait.
The former corresponds mainly to high-end machines with a large amount of buffers,
The latter is equivalent to a popular device.

[0005]

As described above, until the scanner buffer can receive image data,
If the scanner unit frequently waits, there is a problem that the reading time becomes longer. That is, when the scanner unit stops frequently, the light amount adjustment operation and the read adjustment operation of the scanner unit are frequently performed.In order to avoid uneven reading, after the stop, the area read before the stop is exceeded. The wrapped reading is performed, and as a result, the amount of image data to be read is increased as a whole, so that the reading time is increased.

Further, if the scanner unit frequently waits until the scanner buffer can receive image data, there is a problem that uneven reading is likely to occur. In other words, by trying to prevent the occurrence of connecting streaks by reading the overlap, uneven reading due to unevenness in the movement control amount of the optical control system of the scanner unit, fluctuations in the light amount and sensitivity during reading between the light source and the reading unit, etc. Is more likely to occur.

In a conventional multi-function printing apparatus, the balance between the processing speeds at the front and rear stages of the scanner buffer is limited.
A sufficiently large scanner buffer size is set so that the scanner section does not stop.

According to the present invention, in an image processing apparatus, even if the size of a scanner buffer is small to a certain extent, the scanner section does not stop frequently, so that the reading time does not increase and the reading unevenness does not easily occur. It is an object to provide a processing device.

[0009]

According to the present invention, when the remaining amount of the scanner buffer is insufficient, the memory of the host computer is diverted as the scanner buffer.
This prevents the scanner unit from stopping.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a multifunction printing apparatus (M) according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an FP) 10 and a host computer 20.

The multi-function printing device 10 is an example of an image processing device. If the host computer 20 and the multi-function printing device 10 are in a connected state after the remaining amount of the scanner buffer becomes insufficient, the remaining page is Is processed to transfer the read data to the memory of the host computer 20.

The multifunction printer 10 includes a scanner unit 11 for reading an image document, a scanner buffer 12, an image processing unit 13, a printer unit 14, and an interface unit 15.
And

The scanner buffer 12 includes a scanner section 11.
Is a buffer for temporarily storing image data, which is read data of an image document read by the scanner, and transferring the image data to subsequent processing.

The image processing unit 13 includes the scanner buffer 12
And performs image processing on the image data.

The printer unit 14 is provided at a stage subsequent to the image processing unit 13 and prints image data processed by the image processing unit 13 on a print medium.

The interface unit 15 communicates with the host computer 20.

The multi-function printing apparatus 10 has a scanner buffer 12 when the scanner unit 11 is reading an image when the printing apparatus 10 is connected to the host computer 20.
When the remaining amount of image data is no longer available and image data can no longer be received, the memory 22 of the host computer 20 is used in place of the scanner buffer 12 and the host computer 2
0 is a device for sending the read image data to the memory 22 of the “0”.

The host computer 20 includes a memory control unit 21, a memory unit 22, and an interface unit 2.
And 5.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

Here, the operation for processing one page will be described.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the scanner unit 11 in the multi-function printing device 10.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the scanner buffer 12 in the multi-function printing device 10.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the image processing unit 13 in the multi-function printing device 10.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the host computer 20.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the printer unit 14 in the multi-function printing device 10.

First, when a switch having a function of instructing copying instructs copying, the scanner unit 11 starts reading a document to be read. When scanning proceeds and a required amount of read data is accumulated in the scanner buffer 12 at the subsequent stage, the image processing unit 13 is activated. Further, when the image processing unit 13 generates necessary processing data and stores it in the print buffer, the printer unit 14 starts up and executes printing. The basics of the data processing operation in copying are as described above.

If the reading speed of the scanner unit 11 is higher than the processing speed of the subsequent stage of the scanner unit 11, the remaining amount of the scanner buffer 12 becomes insufficient. In this case, the data read by the scanner unit 11 cannot be read by the scanner buffer 12, so that the scanner buffer 12
The BUF_BUSY signal sent to the image processing unit 13 is activated to notify that the remaining amount of the scanner buffer 12 is insufficient.

In response to this notification, the scanner unit 11
The scan is suspended, and from the next line, it is known that it is necessary to determine whether to send the data to the scanner buffer 12 or to send data to the host computer 20. If the host computer 20 is in the connected state, the host computer 20 reads the data. Knowing that it is necessary to receive the data, the image processing unit 13 transmits the data to the multifunction printing device 10 and the host computer 2.
In response to the status of the connection with the host computer 2, whether the next line of data is requested from the scanner buffer 12 or not.
We know that we have to decide whether to request 0.

The interface unit 15 of the multi-function printing device 10 that controls the interface with the host computer 20
Knows from the exchange whether the host computer 20 and the multi-function printing device 10 are in a connected state, and thereby, the scanner unit 11 and the image processing unit 13
However, if the scanner unit 11 knows that the multi-function printing device 10 is in a connected state with the host computer 20, the scanner unit 11 performs reading after the remaining amount of the scanner buffer 12 becomes insufficient.
It starts immediately and sends the read data to the host computer 20.

Then, the image processing section 13 waits for the data in the scanner buffer 12 to become empty, and knows that the next read data must be requested from the host computer 20. Here, when determining whether or not the scanner buffer 12 is empty, BUF_EMPTY is output from the scanner buffer 12, and when this becomes active, it is known that the scanner buffer 12 is empty.

On the other hand, when the multi-function printer 10 is not connected to the host computer 20, the scanner unit 11
The image processing unit 13 waits until the BUF_BUSY signal becomes inactive. As described above, when the multi-function printer 10 is not connected to the host computer 20, the scanner unit 11 is frequently stopped as in the related art, so that the effect obtained in the above embodiment cannot be obtained.

When copying is completed to the end of the page, each signal becomes non-active and reset to a default value by page clear.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a multifunction printer (MFP) 30 and a host computer 40 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

After the scanner buffer 22 is full, if the host computer 40 and the multi-function printing device 30 are connected, the multi-function printing device 30 transfers the read data to the memory 42 of the host computer 40, Also, in this embodiment, when the scanner buffer 32 becomes empty again, the read data is transferred to the scanner buffer 32 and processed.

The multi-function printing device 30 includes a scanner unit 31 for reading an image document, a scanner buffer 32, an image processing unit 33, a printer unit 34, and an interface unit 35.
And

The host computer 40 includes a memory control unit 41, a memory unit 42, and an interface unit 4.
And 5.

Next, the operation of the multi-function printer 30 according to the second embodiment will be described.

Here, the operation for processing one page will be described.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the scanner unit 31 in the multi-function printing device 30.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the scanner buffer 32 in the multi-function printing device 30.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the image processing section 33 in the multi-function printing device 30.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the host computer 40.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the printer unit 34 in the multi-function printing device 30.

First, when a copy is instructed from a switch having a function of instructing a copy, the scanner unit 31 starts to read a document to be read. When scanning proceeds and a necessary amount of read data is accumulated in the scanner buffer 32 at the subsequent stage, the image processing unit 33 is activated. Further, when the image processing unit 33 generates necessary processing data and stores it in the print buffer, the printer unit 34 starts up and executes printing. The basics of the data processing operation in copying are as described above.

However, if the reading speed of the scanner unit 31 is higher than the processing speed of the subsequent stage of the scanner unit 31, the remaining amount of the scanner buffer 32 becomes insufficient. In this case, the data read by the scanner unit 31 cannot be read by the scanner buffer 32. Therefore, first, the scanner buffer 32
The BUF_BUSY signal to be sent to the image processing unit 33 is activated to notify that the remaining amount of the buffer 32 is insufficient.

Upon receiving this notification, the scanner unit 31
The scan is paused, and from the next line, it is learned that it is necessary to determine whether to send the data to the scanner buffer 32 or to the host computer 40. If the host computer 40 is in the connection state, the host computer 40 must not receive the read data. Knowing that it must be done, the image processing unit 33
By observing the connection state of the multi-function printing device 30 with the host computer 40, it is known that it is necessary to determine whether to request the next line of data from the scanner buffer 32 or the host computer 40.

The interface unit 35 of the multi-function printing device 30 that controls the interface with the host computer 40
Knows whether or not the host computer 40 and the multi-function printing device 30 are in a connected state from the exchange, so that the multi-function printing device 30 is in the connected state with the host computer 40. Scanner unit 31,
If the image processing unit 33 knows, the scanner unit 31 immediately starts reading after the remaining amount of the scanner buffer 32 becomes insufficient, and transmits the read data to the host computer 4.
Send to 0.

Then, the image processing section 33 waits until the data in the scanner buffer 32 becomes empty, and then knows that the host computer 40 must request the next read data. Here, BUF_EMPTY is output from the scanner buffer 32, and it can be seen that the scanner buffer 32 becomes empty by being activated.

On the other hand, when the multi-function printing device 30 is not connected to the host computer 40, the scanner unit 31,
Both the image processing units 33 wait until the BUF_BUSY signal becomes inactive. As described above, when the multi-function printing device 30 is not connected to the host computer 40, the scanner unit 31 is frequently stopped as in the related art, so that the effect obtained in the above embodiment cannot be obtained.

When the process further proceeds, it is known that the scanner buffer 32, which has become insufficient once, becomes empty. Thus, the image processing unit 33 requests the host computer 40 for the read data. Further, the scanner buffer 32 receives the read data from the scanner unit 31 again by deactivating the BUF_BUSY signal.

The processing further proceeds, and the host computer 4
H_EMP indicating that the remaining amount of the memory unit 42 of the host computer 40 is insufficient.
When the image processing unit 33 knows that the remaining amount of the memory unit 42 is insufficient based on the TY signal, it knows that the next read data exists in the scanner buffer 32 and requests the scanner buffer 32. And the scanner buffer 3
When the remaining capacity of the second computer becomes insufficient again, the transfer destination of the read data is switched to the host computer 40, and when the remaining capacity of the memory unit 42 of the host computer 40 becomes insufficient, the transfer destination of the read data is switched to the scanner buffer 32.

The above operation is repeated, and the process proceeds to the end of the page without stopping the reading operation by the scanner unit 31.

When copying is completed up to the end of the page, each signal becomes non-active by page clear, and is reset to a default value.

In each of the above embodiments, the multi-function printing device 10
Since it is assumed that the memory size of the image processing unit 30 is not sufficient, if the processing after the image processing units 13 and 33 is relatively slower than the reading speed, the scanner units 11 and 3 are frequently used.
1 should stop, but if the host computers 20 and 40 are connected to the multi-function printers 10 and 30, the scanner units 11 and 31 will immediately Buffers 12, 32
Is stopped, and the image data is sent to the host computers 20 and 40. Further, the memory size of the host computers 20 and 40 is sufficiently large, so that the scanner
Image reading can be finished without stopping at 1 and 31.

That is, in the above-described embodiment, the original reading stage for reading the image original, and the image data, which is the read data of the image original read in the original reading stage, are temporarily stored in the scanner buffer, and the temporary storage is passed to the subsequent processing. An image processing step of performing image processing on the image data temporarily stored in the scanner buffer; a printing step of printing the image data processed in the image processing step; and an interface step of communicating with a predetermined computer. When the image processing apparatus including the scanner buffer is connected to the computer and the remaining amount of the scanner buffer is insufficient during the image reading, the computer memory is used instead of the scanner buffer. Sending the read image data to a computer memory. That is an example of a method of controlling the image processing apparatus.

In this case, when the scanner buffer becomes empty, the read data is stored again in the scanner buffer.

Further, the above embodiment can be understood as an invention of a storage medium. That is, in the above embodiment, a document reading procedure for reading an image document, and image data that is read data of the image document read in the document reading procedure, temporarily stored in a scanner buffer, and a temporary storage procedure to be passed to subsequent processing, An image processing procedure for performing image processing on the image data temporarily stored in the scanner buffer; a printing procedure for printing the image data processed in the image processing procedure; an interface procedure for communicating with a predetermined computer; When the image processing apparatus including the scanner buffer is connected to the computer and the scanner buffer runs short during the image reading, the computer memory is used instead of the scanner buffer, and the computer memory is used. Sending the read image data to the computer It is an example of storing a program for executing a computer-readable storage medium.

In this case, when a space is created in the scanner buffer, a program for causing the computer to execute a procedure for storing the read data in the scanner buffer again is described below.
It is stored in a storage medium.

The storage media include FD, CD,
DVD, HD, semiconductor memory and the like are conceivable.

[0060]

According to the present invention, even in an image processing apparatus which does not have a sufficiently large scanner buffer, when the host computer is connected, the reading can be completed without stopping the scanner section during the image reading. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an obstacle caused by frequent stoppage of the scanner unit, which may occur in the conventional example, that is, an increase in reading time and an increase in uneven reading.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a multi-function printer (MFP) 10 and a host computer 20 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation of a scanner unit 11 in the multi-function printing device 10.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of a scanner buffer 12 in the multi-function printing device 10;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of an image processing unit 13 in the multi-function printing device 10.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the host computer 20.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation of the printer unit 14 in the multi-function printing device 10.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a multifunction printer (MFP) 30 and a host computer 40 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of a scanner unit 31 in the multi-function printing device 30.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation of the scanner buffer 32 in the multi-function printing device 30.

FIG. 10 shows an image processing unit 33 in the multi-function printing device 30.
5 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the host computer 40.

FIG. 12 shows a printer unit 34 in the multi-function printing device 30.
5 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 30: Multi-function printer, 11, 31: Scanner unit, 12, 32: Scanner buffer, 13, 33: Image processing unit, 14, 34: Printer unit, 15, 35: Interface unit, 20, 40: Host Computer, 21, 41: Memory control unit, 22, 42: Memory unit, 25, 45: Interphase unit.

Claims (6)

[Claims] A scanner section for reading an image document; a scanner buffer for temporarily storing image data, which is read data of the image document read by the scanner section, and transferring the image data to a subsequent process; An image processing unit that performs image processing of the image data; a printer unit that is provided at a subsequent stage of the image processing unit and prints the image data processed by the image processing unit on a print medium; an interface that communicates with a predetermined computer An image processing device comprising: a memory unit of the computer, when the image processing device is connected to the computer and the scanner unit runs short of the remaining amount of the scanner buffer while reading an image. Is used in place of the scanner buffer, and the read image data is stored in the computer memory. An image processing apparatus for sending data. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when an empty space is generated in the scanner buffer, the read data is stored again in the scanner buffer. 3. A document reading step for reading an image document; a temporarily storing step of temporarily storing image data, which is read data of the image document read in the document reading step, in a scanner buffer and transferring the image data to a subsequent process; An image processing step of image processing the image data temporarily stored in the buffer; a printing step of printing the image data processed in the image processing step; an interface step of communicating with a predetermined computer; and the scanner buffer When the image processing apparatus including the is connected to the computer, and during the image reading, when the remaining amount of the scanner buffer is insufficient, the memory of the computer is used instead of the scanner buffer, and the memory of the computer is Sending the read image data. A method for controlling an image processing apparatus. 4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of storing the read data again in the scanner buffer when the scanner buffer becomes empty. 5. A document reading procedure for reading an image document; a temporary storing procedure for temporarily storing image data, which is read data of the image document read in the document reading procedure, in a scanner buffer and transferring the data to a subsequent process; An image processing procedure for image processing the image data temporarily stored in the buffer; a printing procedure for printing the image data processed in the image processing procedure; an interface procedure for communicating with a predetermined computer; and the scanner buffer When the image processing apparatus including the is connected to the computer, and during the image reading, when the remaining amount of the scanner buffer is insufficient, the memory of the computer is used instead of the scanner buffer, and the memory of the computer is Sending the read image data to a computer. Computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed. 6. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 5, wherein a program for causing a computer to execute a procedure for storing read data in the scanner buffer again when the scanner buffer becomes empty is stored.